Syrian army is closer to liberating key city in Idlib

IDLIB – The Syrian army has moved even closer to the key city of Khan Shaykhun in Idlib province, with the liberation on Wednesday of two villages and a hill on the way to it, Sham FM radio reported.

“The government’s army, after fierce clashes with armed groups in the region, has taken control of the Kafr Ein and Aas villages, as well as Tell Aas Hill in southern Idlib province, east of the city of al-Hubayth,” as reported by the radio station, quoting correspondent.

Al-Hubayt was released from the al-Nusra Front on Sunday. Thus, the Syrian Army is surrounding west and east Khan Shaykhun, which is on the M5 highway, which connects Damascus with Aleppo.

Residents of both cities are using alternative roads, which are mostly in the hands of criminal formations.

Syria Negotiations

Following the negotiations on Syria in Nursultan, a “ceasefire” took effect in Idlib on August 2. The Syrian Armed Forces Command has declared its willingness to cease fighting if Turkey complies with the September 2018 Turkish-Russian agreement, which was agreed in Sochi.

The main point of the agreement is the withdrawal of heavy and medium weapons from the militants 20 kilometers from the demilitarized zone of Idlib.

Three days later, on August 5, the Syrian Army resumed the operation due to non-compliance with the criminal formations, which, taking advantage of the truce, attempted to attack Syrian Army positions in the northern province of Hama and repeatedly opened fire on residential areas of the region.

Meanwhile, the terrorist group ISIS has in recent months strengthened its clandestine network in Syria and Iraq, according to a US Department of Defense report.

According to the report, focused on the Inherent Resolution operation and signed by the Pentagon Deputy Inspector General Glenn Fine, the State Department Inspector General Steve Linick, and the Inspector General of the International Development Agency (USAID), Ann Calvaresi Barr, since half of the 2,000 members of special operations and other relief and training forces returned to the US in the spring, Daesh is trying to get back to business five months after US President Donald Trump says that the forces of the caliphate had been totally defeated.